Kanirineta
Forced off the continents of Pentralis, the kanirineta have been forced to adapt to a new life aboard The Kinzran Alliance's flotillas of airships and oceangoing vessels. While their old cultural emphasis on honor and propriety still tends to dominate fleet life, the culture shock of the shift has yet to fully wear off across the generations. Despite the conflict between those who yet long for the old ways and those who only know their new life, the kanirineta continue to wage their war against The Caelex Empire. Etymology and Other Names Kanirineta is derived from an ancient Honichi phrase, the "Crab-Killing Steel." The name was once reserved for a secret order of individuals recruited from across clan lines to infiltrate and cripple any attempts at forming a true Lapidorsae society, believing them to be lesser and unworthy of what land on Pentralis they had. Since the war with the Caelex Empire, however, the race as a whole have taken up the name to refer to themselves, in part due to historical portrayals of the order less as a tool of oppression, and more as a preventative measure. Most other races refer to the race as kanirineta, due to a similar propaganda campaign across worlds. The Caelex Empire, however, refers to the kanirineta as the "reborivin," or "rebels against the divine." Biology and Anatomy Kanirineta stand head and shoulders above all other native Pentralan races, though their typically bright coloration can serve to conceal just how massive most kanirineta are. Though typically yellow or orange with brown or black striping, some kanirineta have more exotic shell colors, such as red or black, with some exceptionally rare individuals having green or even blue shells. Kanirineta chitin is covered in innumerable small, blunted spikes, often getting larger and rougher nearer to the hands and feet. Kanirineta have a tripartate body plan, as many of Cordens' arthropod races do. A large abdomen with a nonfunctional stinger, a broad torso with a narrow waist, and a head with large mandibles and compound eyes. Though ancient Kanirineta may have once had wings, based on historical sites, their modern descendants have only four arms and two legs. Unusually, a kanirineta's limbs feature three segments instead of the typical two, a central segment allowing them to fold their arms and legs in unusual directions. Though kanirineta possess four arms, two of them are substantially weaker than the others, often unable to perform feats of strength or dexterity at all. These secondary arms tend to serve a more communicative purpose, hand gestures and body language adding an extra layer to communications. The primary pair of arms features additional, oversized "tesukaibu," or "wrist spike." Anatomically more akin to stingers, tesukaibu fature a hollow cavity down the underside, which allows kanirineta to deliver their "Cutting Venom," kiridoku. Kiridoku is widely considered the most painful toxin in Cordens, causing many kanirineta to cover their tesukaibu with decorative jewelry or large sleeves, to put other races at ease. Though not a natural part of their anatomy, kanirineta tend to practice Maechanical Augmentation, adding large turbines on flexible supports and solid black eye coverings to their bodies once they are old enough. Though this is not true Maechinery, the name and procedure are deeply ingrained in kanirineta culture, making an inability or opposition to the process deeply shameful. Sociology and Culture Though much of their history and culture has fallen to the wayside since the start of the war, the kanirineta maintain the basics of their ancient ways of life. More important than even a kanirineta's life is the honor of their ship, their family and themselves. Penance is often marked by acts of physical or mental self-punishment pertaining to the slight; One who struck an innocent may visit twice as many blows upon themselves as atonement, or one whose words harmed the standing of their house may deny themselves speech until forgiven. Those who seek to undo their wrongs through magical means, however, only bring further shame on themselves. A kanirineta who makes use of the spell Atonement has admitted their failure to uphold their honor so utterly, they are cast out of their house, their ship, and sometimes the Alliance entirely. Kanirineta families tend to keep detailed family trees, which leads to the formation of "houses," similar to the race's ancient clan mentality. Descendants of exceptional individuals tend to stay together, even as their bloodlines draw apart, creating large blocks of living quarters aboard the Allaince's ships that house several generations of a house. Houses are passed matrilineally, like kanirineta names, and merge so rarely it is considered nonexistant. An individual who makes a grand enough name for themselve s to found a new house brings great honor on their old house, even as they sever one or more bloodlines from it. Though not a a major attribute of the Alliance itself, many kanirineta individuals find a deity that favors how they wish to live, and devote themselves to their teachings, through the lens of kanirineta honor. While some gods are more straightforward in the translation to traditional kanirineta honor than others, there is no honor implications attached to following a specific deity, or the act of interpreting their teachings for shipboard life. All kanirineta ships include specific space for religious groups to gether, excluding those who follow The All-Stone, or simply specific shrines for smaller vessels. Individuals who have left a house, by choice or not, often join the ranks of the most devout; they live in the temples to their deity and take up a monastic lifestyle, offering all honor they receive to their gods. Upon reaching adulthood, all kanirineta choose a Way to follow: the Way of the Open Palm, the Level Hand, or the Closed Fist. Each path has specific tenets that its followers live by, although the war has worn on those tenets the same way it has worn on the races involved. The Way of the Open Palm Followers of the Open Palm take a peaceful view of the world, having historically held positions as scribes, teachers, religious leaders, and performers. The Open Palm teaches that the greatest strength available to the Kanirineta comes from words and cooperation with other clans and races, furthering the interests of both as often as possible. Since the start of the war, however, the Open Palm has also been the path of choice for diplomats, spies, and infiltrators, amending itself to note that, while amicable cooperation is preferable, sometimes one must make their enemy work with them, be it consciously or not. The Way of the Closed Fist Followers of the Closed Fist are considered by outsiders to be the opposite of the Open Palm, though neither group would agree with that.The Closed Fist is the Way of choice for soldiers, pilots, athletes, and engineers, teaching that the world is best controlled through physical strength and action. The Closed Fist does not condone wanton violence, as many outsiders may believe, but instructs its followers in honorable combat and trials of physical ability. Like the Way of the Open Palm, however, the Closed Fist has had its central tenets slowly altered; Sabotage, trickery, and deception have crept into Closed Fist teachings, as they are portrayed as examples of physical skill in their own right. The Way of the Level Hand Though some would refer to the Level Hand as an indecisive or compromising Way, the Level Hand is neither. Followers of the Level Hand are the most common military leaders, political figures, and craftsmen, as well as members of the most common path chosen. The Level Hand teaches that strength comes from a balance of physical and mental ability, that neither should be sacrificed for the benefit of the other, and that true peace can only be achieved through balance of your body, mind, and soul. The Level Hand has suffered the least ideological degradation of the three paths, as its focus has always been on balancing the others' teachings, more than a specific code of conduct. Behavior The Kanirineta, due to their eyes being almost universally covered due to their self-augmentations, tend to emote more with their hands and arms than other races. Naturally a quick and jittery race, Kanirineta conversations can be dangerous to passers by who venture too close, due to the rapidly and wildly moving arms. Due to this, Kanirineta have an odd sense of personal space, especially for a race who has spent the last millenia usually ship-bound. Encroaching on a Kanirineta's personal space without permission is widely considered one of the rudest things one can do, and tends to be met with hostility. Naming Kanirineta have genered names, unlike most races, the gender usually dictated by a suffix. Female names tend to end in -nei, -ro, or -ja. Male names, in contrast, tend to end with -ko, -dei, or -na. Consonant clusters are rarely present in kanirineta names, short of digraphs such as th, sh, or ch. Vowel clusters are equally uncommon, the most common of which tend to be ae or ei. Kanirineta have three names; a given name that follows the above rules, a matronymic middle name consisting of the bearer's mother's name and an appended "-en" to signify the relation, and a surname chosen upon entry to adulthood, often a compound word that pertains to the bearer's profession. Female: Hichuro, Vaesija, Ethunei Male: Siroko, Bacheina, Amodei Surname: Shellblade, Wavespeaker, Stareyed Racial Traits Kanirineta are usually a Medium race, incurring no penalties or bonuses for their size, though exceptional individuals may be Large. Kanirineta characters may choose either +2 Strength and -2 Charisma or +2 Intelligence and -2 Strength, reflecting the race's Ways prioritizing the mental or physical above the other. Once per day, a kanirineta may choose to use their stinger to inflict Kiridoku '''on an opponent as a touch attack, or poison an item (DC 10+level Fort save negates). At first level, the kanirineta picks an effect to deal for 1d4 rounds with their Kiridoku; Sickened, Fatigued, or Deafened. Kanirineta gain an extra use of Kiridoku at 5th level and every five levels thereafter, to a maximum of five uses per day at level 20. A kanirineta who spends at least one minute in preparation can instead inflict a creature with a concentrated dose of Kiridoku. A creature subject to Concentrated Kiridoku must pass a will save or fall unconscious from pain. A creature who passes the will save must also pass a Fort save or be subject to the venom's usual effects. (DC 10+level for each. Additional daily uses of Kiridoku can be sacrificed to increase these DCs by 5 per use.) Kanirineta are capable of '''Flight and have a flying speed of 20ft with poor maneuverability. At character level 5, and every 5 character levels thereafter, this fly speed increases by 10 to a maximum of 60ft at 20th level. At level 5, their maneuverability becomes average, and at level 10, their maneuverability becomes good. While flying, a kanirineta can ascend at half speed and descend at double speed. Their flight speed is cut in half if they are wearing medium or heavy armor. While flying, a kanirineta can act normally. They receive a +1 racial bonus to the Fly skill and it is treated as a class skill for them regardless of their class. From their Endless War, kanirineta gain +2 knowledge (Arcana) or +2 Knowledge (Engineering). Kanirineta are well versed in the mechanics of Necromancy or the maintenance of their floating homes, often to the exclusion of the other. Category:Fexalere Category:Fexalere Races